Saudi Arabia’s National Commercial Bank is allowing its customers to pay their utility bills via SMS. The bank claims that it is the first in the Middle East to offer the service. “A keen advantage to using Alahli SMS is that customers may utilise the service anywhere in the world that supports GSM coverage, provided that they have roaming capability on their device,” says Taha Al-Kuwaiz, head of support, National Commercial Bank. Customers can register for the service by calling: 800 244 3333. NCB has placed the rollout of electronic services high on its agenda. In 2002, it won Arabian Business magazine’s prestigious eBusiness Initiative of the Year Award in recognition of its achievements.